I was pretty surprised that crabs actually look like this and don’t just walk around on the sea floor dipping themselves in hot, melted butter. It really is no wonder why crab-meat is so expensive. Crab fisherman being the most dangerous job in the world aside, we probably have to pay the guy who handles these a premium to touch something so freaky looking.

Editors Note: I’m fully aware that this is a species of crab that is not typically eaten. I mean, look at it. Those claws and legs aren’t worth $14.95 a pound. There’s barely any meat. Throw it back.

What would Chef Rex be without recipes? Well, probably just REX, but the cost to change our branding is just too expensive so its just easier to toss you a few recipes now and again to keep this blog relevant to our name. Capiche? Good.

Directions
Combine flour, onion powder, granulated garlic, salt and pepper. Mix well.
In separate bowl combine panko and parmesan. In third bowl combine eggs and mustard. Take slices of tomato and dip in flour, dust off excess.
Then dip in egg mixture, letting excess drip off. Finally dip in parmesan/panko mixture, pressing parmesan mixture onto slices for good coverage. Repeat until all slices are breaded. These should be stored in a single layer dusted lightly with extra crumbs.

For Service Heat olive oil in non-stick frying pan, over medium-high heat.
Place 3 slices( 1 order) in pan, and let cook about 1 1/2 – 2 minutes on each side, until just golden brown. Don’t flip too soon or parmesan mix will fall off.

I guess that joke doesn’t really work when you read it. Oh well… onto the article.
Summer is in full swing and this is the perfect time to find the best assortment of fresh, ripe tomatoes! Here are some tips on different ways to prepare tomatoes.

Peeling fresh tomatoes is not necessary, unless the fruit is to be cooked. Heat causes skins to slip away from the flesh, so it is best to peel a tomato before adding it to a heated dish. To peel fresh tomatoes, submerge them in a bowl of boiling water for about 30 seconds. Transfer to cold water and the skins will slip off.

Seed
Scrape seeds away from the flesh with a pointed utensil, such as a grapefruit spoon, being careful not to puncture skin. NOTE: Tomato seeds contain significant nutritional qualities and few recipes are affected by seeds. Avoid seeding if possible.

Slice
Using a serrated knife, slice tomatoes lengthwise, rather than crosswise, to retain juice. Cut off stem end and scoop out seeds and pulp with sharp utensil, such as a grapefruit spoon, being careful not to puncture skin. Sprinkle the cavity lightly with salt and turn upside down on a paper towel to drain.
Stew
Place peeled whole or cut-up tomatoes in a saucepan without water. Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar; add diced onion or green pepper, if desired. Simmer, tightly covered, over low heat until done, 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Broil
Remove core, halve crosswise or slice. Dot with butter; sprinkle with salt, pepper or other seasonings. Broil until tomatoes are tender and topping is lightly browned.

Bake
Halve crosswise, dot with butter and season as desired. Bake in hot oven (425°F) 10 to 15 minutes. Microwave: Prepare as directed above for baking and microwave on high (100% Power) 3 to 4 minutes for four halves; 5 to 6 minutes for six to eight halves.

Food safety is a huge issue that people outside of the restaurant industry rarely think of. Well, as someone who has recently been suffering from a touch of food poisoning, its been at the forefront of my mind (you really don’t think of much else during a mad-dash to the mensroom). While restaurant staff and chefs are properly trained in food handling and effective methods of eliminating the risk of bacterial contamination, everyday people who prepare meals at home aren’t. Its not that they’re careless, but that they’re unaware of how ever-present bacteria really is.

Im sure you’ve gotten one of those chain emails from a friend who is either bored at work or a stay at home mom that explains the newest danger for over-protective mothers and hypochondriacs to freak out about. Bacteria that wafts onto your toothbrush if you don’t close the toilet seat when you flush. Fecal matter on the lemons in your iced tea at restaurants. An outbreak of MERSA or Meningitis at your kid’s elementary school (Ok, that one may be legit, please don’t ignore it). The list goes on…

What most people fail to realize is that bacteria is EVERYWHERE. There is quite literally fecal matter on everything that comes into human contact. Gross, but its just the way things are. The goal here shouldn’t be to eliminate bacteria altogether, but to minimize risk of infection or contamination. So here’s a nifty infographic from our friends at stripes39.com with some cool (read: horrifying) facts about bacteria and a few links on food safety that should help you eliminate the risk of getting sick at home.

We here at ChefRex try not to be to “salesy” on our blog and usually don’t want to take ourselves too seriously. Today is no different. After a very busy workweek, things here couldn’t be going any better. Its Friday, we’ve met recent project goals, and the Orlando Magic are undefeated in the NBA playoffs. So today we’re taking it easy and celebrating. And what better way to do that than with…

… ridiculous basketball shots. Enjoy.

Check back on Monday for more of the same stuff we’ve been posting and keep coming back for industry news, reviews, specials, or whatever else we think is cool.

Not everyone was fortunate enough to have a Japanese Grandmother to teach them the etiquette behind sushi. And by teach, I mean yell “dame, dame, dame” as I ate with my fingers, loaded my shoyu with wasabi, and generally made an embarrassment out of myself.

So for all you “gaijin” out there, I found this nice little image depicting the “dos” and “don’ts” of the sushi bar. So next time you decide you want Japanese, make sure you apply what you learn here. You never know who’s going to yell “dame, dame, dame” when you break the rules.

We’re thrilled to announce that our www.ChefREX.com online site is now LIVE! This site features the hottest products available for your kitchen at cool prices. These aren’t flimsy consumer kitchen products, they’re commercial grade items which have been tested by the toughest restaurants in the country. So if you’re a professional chef, a cooking enthusiast, or just someone who likes to have good quality products in their home kitchen, check out our site and have fun picking out the perfect items to outfit your kitchen. Your spouse will be happy, your friends will be jealous, the neighbors will envy you, and most of all, you’ll feel great knowing you’ve got the highest quality kitchen equipment available (and you saved a bundle purchasing it – especially since we always have free shipping!).